Loose-leaf ledger



No. 6I2,436. Patented Dot. I8, |898.-

H. G. RAZALL.

LOOSE LEAF LEDGEB. (Applicaftion lsd May 10, 1897.) (No Model.)

i Miren Sfrrfrnsfl PATENT Fries.

HN'RY e. RAZALL, oriiritwAUK'EE, wisconsin.

sPEcIrIcATIoN arming part or Letters Patent No. 612,436, daea'october 1e, 189s.

`Applicatigufiled May 10, 1897-.5 Serial No. 635,848. (N0 model.)

To all whom t may concern/.1.-

Be it known that I, HENRY G. RAZALL, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Ledgers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and'feXact description thereof.

4My invention has` especial reference to that class of blank books known as loose-leaf ledgers wherein the leaves are removable at pleasure, so that the leaf orileaves for any account can be added to or transferred at any time, thus doing away with thenecessity of employing a series of ledgers for the open accounts; and my said invention consists in certain peculiarities of construction and combination of parts, as will be fully set forth hereinafter and subsequently claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a device embodying my present improvements, taken on the line l l of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a detail view,with the cover partly broken away and partly in section, on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. `The foregoing figures illustrate one form of locking device. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the entire device. Fig. 5 is a detail View showing another form of the locking device.

Referring to the drawings, A B represent, respectively, the upper and lower covers of my device, said covers having separable backs ab, adapted to slide past each other, as shown, and reduced flexible portions c c adjacent to the back of the device to enable the said covers to be readily opened and thrown back when'the device is in use.

l C D D are hollow columns, polygonal in cross-section, secured to the cover B back of the described iieXible portion c and' between the same and the back h, the preferred form of said columns in section being that of the lozenge and the base of each column being preferably solid and formed with a projecting iange d all around the same to better secure the said columns in place in the said cover B, through which they project, as shown in Figs. l and 2, and to guard against the column C as hereinafter explained. The columns D D are open-topped; but the ,column (C has a closed top e,with a screw-threaded bore therethrough, forming, in effect, a nut.

E E are columns secured to the cover A in the same manner as the columns D D are secured -to the cover B, Aand thesaid columns E E are likewise polygonal in crosslsection and vof a size and shape to it and telescope within the columns D D. v

F is a hollow column secured in like manner to the other columns to the cover A, said column F being of a sizeand shape in crosssection to receive and telescope over the column G.

G is a screw adapted for engagement with the nut e in the column C, and said screw being preferably formed with an enlarged head II, terminating in an upper squared end I, which projects up through the open upper end of the column F. The head I-I of the screw, which is either integral orotherwise rigid with the balance of said screw, is formed with an annular exterior groove f, and pins g g extend transversely through the said column F and engage with said groove f, whereby when the screw G is revolved by an ordinary clock-key (not shown) fitting on the described square upper end I of the screw the latter is prevented from being screwed up or down and exerts its force in the said nut e to either increase or decrease the distance between the covers A B, according to the direction in which the said screw G is revolved, in an obvious manner.

.I is a lock, of any suitable construction, secured to a recess in the cover A and provided with a bolt K, which is adapted to engage with some part of the screw G to prevent the movement of the latter. In the drawings I have shown two ways of locking the said screw. In the form shown in the iirst three figures the head II of the screw is provided with a series of sockets or keepers h to receive the end of the-bolt K, as shown, and in Fig. 5 the end of the bolt K is formed with a squareedged recess t' to receive the squared top end I of the screw G when the said bolt is shot forward. Either form may be employed, as preferred, it being only necessary in the first instance that one of the sockets h shall be in line with said bolt and in the second instance IOO that the end I shall be squarely presented in line with the square recess t' of said bolt.

L L represent the leaves of my ledger, which are designed to be printed and ruled like any ordinary ledger-leaves, but which at their inner ends are formed as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A piece of any suitable thin fabric j is secured to the inner edge of each leaf L, and the extreme outer edge or `end of this fabric is reinforced by additional layers of like fabric applied on each side of the fabric j, as shown at 7c la. The inner or rear end edge of the reinforced attachment to each leaf is cut in line with each of the described columns D F D with the notches m, the cut continuing in a straight line n, and then the opening is extended to a shape and size sufiicient to take in the said columns, as shown at 0.

The operation of my device will be readily understood from the foregoing description of its construction taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. Let it be understood that the ledger is in the complete and locked condition shown in Fig. et. Nowsuppose it is desired to either remove or insert a leaf L. Vhile the ledger is so locked no change in its leaves except a forcible tearing or cutting out is possible, and this would instantly show by the stub of the leaf still locked to place. The key of the lock J is inserted and turned and the bolt K thereby withdrawn from engagement with the screw G. Then a clock-winding key is fitted on the end I of said screw and turned so as to increase the distance between the covers A and B. If a leaf L is now to be removedas, for instance, when the account on said leaf is closed-a sharp pull on this leaf will instantly detach it, as the slits at n are sufficient to enable the leaf to be pulled from contact vwith the described columns D E C F without injury to the leaf or disturbance of the leaves above or below the leaf being removed. If, on the contrary, an account is still open, but the entries on the leaf of said account have covered the same, a fresh leaf can be inserted for the continuation of said account by placing this new lleaf next the one j ust filled, with the notches m of the new leaf against the adjacent angles of the described hollow columns and giving a push to the leaf, when the slits??J will open and permit the larger openingso to receive the said columns and the new leaf is in place. In either event the clock-key is then applied to the screw G and turned to again force the covers A B toward each other, care being taken to leave the screw G in proper positionthat is, with one of the keepers or sockets h, in the form shown in Figs. l to 3, or with one of the square faces of the end I, in the form shown in Fig. 5, in line with the bolt K-*when the covers are brought toward each other to the required point, so that all the leaves are tightly clamped again, and then the key is turned in the lock J and the bolt shot into engagement with the upper part of said screw G, so that when said lock-key is taken away the ledger cannot be tampered with.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a loose-leaf ledger, the combination of a pair of independent covers, a series of hollow columns secured to each cover, in line with each other, and each column on one cover adapted to telescopically engage with the opposing column on the other cover, one

- of said columns being provided with a nut,

and the opposed column having a screw secured therein for engagement with said nut, said screw being capable of revolution butincapable of independent longitudinal movement.

2. In a loose-leaf ledger, the combination of a pair of independent covers, a series of polygonal hollow columns secured to each cover, those on one cover being adapted to telescopically engage with the opposing columns on the other cover, a nut in one of said columns, and a revoluble screw in the opposed column held against independent longitudinal movement, and adapted for engagement with said nut.

3. In a loose-leaf ledger, the combination of a pair of independent covers, a series of hollow columns secured to each cover, those on one cover being adapted to telescopically engage with the opposing columns on the other cover, a nut in one of said columns, a revoluble screw held against independent longitudinal movement in the opposed column and adapted for engagement with said nut, and a lock secured to one of said covers and provided with a bolt adapted to engage with said screw and prevent the revolution thereof.

4. In a loose-leaf ledger, the combination of a pair of independent covers, a series of hollow columns secured to each cover, those on one cover being adapted to telescopically engage with the opposing columns on the other cover, a series of loose leaves each leaf having a series of openings adjacent to one end edge thereof of a size and location corresponding to that of said columns and said leaves being cut or slitted between said openings and said adjacent edge, a nut in one of said columns and a revoluble screw held against independent longitudinal movement in the opposed column, and adapted for engagement with said nut.

5. In a loose-leaf ledger, the combination of a pair of independent covers, a series of hollow columns secured to each cover, those on one cover being adapted to telescopically engage with the opposing columns on the other cover, a series of loose leaves each leaf having a series of openings adjacent to one end edge thereof of a size and location corresponding to that of said columns and said leaves being cut or slitted between said openings and said adjacent edge, a nut in one of said columns, a revoluble screw held against IOO IIO

IZO

independent longitudinal movement in the have hereunto set Inyvhand, at Milwaukee, in opposed column and adapted for engagement the county of .Milwaukee and State of Viswith said nut, and a look secured to one of eonsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

said covers and provided with a, bolt adapted HENRY G. RAZALL. 5 to engage with said screw and prevent the Vtnesses:

revolution thereof. H. Gr. UNDERWOOD,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I B. C. ROLQFF. 

